Fire-kindler.



' N 0 l 7 4 7 4 5 2 i G. H. LOTSPIKE,

IIIIIIIIIII APPLICATION FILED M A Y 1 2 1 9 0 2.

OOOOOOO Patented December 22, I903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. LOTSPIKE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FIRE-KINDLER.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 747,452, datedDecember 22, 1903.

- Application filed May 12,1902. Serial No. 107,020. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. LOTSPIKE, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Kindlers; and I do hereby declare the following tobea full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andto the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide a device for kindlingfires adapted to be used in the fire-pot of a stove or the firebox of asteam-hoiler or similar place and which may be positioned when thekindling material is laid and adapted to readily ignite the latter atsuch a time as may be desired.

To these and other ends the'invention consists in certain improvementsin construction and combinations of parts, all as will be more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a fire-kindlerconstructed in accordance with my invention, a portion thereof beingbroken away to show the interior arrangement of the parts. Fig. 2 is'adiagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the device in connectionwith a steam fire-engine.

Similar reference-numerals in the two figures indicate similar parts.

A fire-kindler constructed in accordance with my invention consists ofasuitable casing provided with a number of tubes or fines which areadapted to contain an inflammable material which when ignited will beblown outwardly, setting the fire to and igniting the kindling materialin which it is placed, and in the present instance I have illustratedthe casing l as cylindrical in form, ,which may be easily constructed ofpasteboardor of light wood, such as is used for purposes of veneering,and may be readily bent into the desired shape. Extending transverselyof the casing is a seriesof tubes or fiues 2, formed separate therefromand passed through suitable apertures formed therein, so that one endthereof is open at'the exterior of the easing and the other is closed byabutting against the inner surface thereof at the opposite side, wheresaid end is secured by any suitable means. In the drawings I have shownthese tubes arranged in pairs and at a slight angle to the horizontalplane and having their upper end-s opening at opposite sides of theeasing, so that when the material therein is ignited the flames emittedtherefrom will be forced in opposite directions. In order that thekindling material may be thoroughly ignited at all points, I provide anumber of these tubes extending diametrically of the casing and at anangle toeach other, so that the flames emitted therefrom are projectedradially, and the device being located in thecenter of the kindlingmaterial will cause the latter to be thoroughly ignited.

To adapt the kindling device to be readily operated, when desired, afterthe combustible material has been laid and to start the fire, I

provide a fuse 3, which is wrapped around the cylinder 1 and secured bysmall pastingstrips in such a manner as to communicate with the openends of the several tubes or flues 2 or the inflammable materialtherein, and the ends of the fuse are of sufficient length to extend tothe exterior of the firebox, where they may be conveniently ignited bythe application of a match, torch, or other device.

In illustrating the operation of my invention I have shown it employedin connection with the fire-box of a steam fireengine, as shown in Fig.'2, in which the usual upright or vertical boiler (indicated by 4) issupported between the wheels 5, and beneath the boiler are the usualgrate bars 6, access to which is had through the aperture or opening 7,normally closed by the door 8. In laying the kindling materialpreparatory to produce a quick and intense fire, such as is required inan apparatus of this class, the

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plish this purpose I provide thereon a friction-operated igniting ordetonating cap, (indicated by 9.) This cap may be operated by anysuitable means, and as a preferable manner I have shown it mounted upona suitable support 10, located at the side of the fire-box aperture7,where it is operated by means of a projection or lug 11 on the door 8,which engages the cap when the door is closed, or the fuse may beextended downwardly between the grate -bars and the cap positioned uponthe floor forward of one of the wheels 5, as illustrated in dotted linesin Fig. 2, so that when'the engine is drawn forwardly the wheel engagingthe cap will explode it and ignite the fuse.

The inflammable material which I employ in the tubes 2 may be of anysuitable substance which is readily ignited; but I preferably employ afirework composition consisting of some form of gunpowder combined withother agents, which cause it to burn more or less slowly and prevent itsexplosion. As this material burns with an intense heat and beinginclosed in the tnbesit causes the flame to be projected outwardlytherefrom toaconsiderabledistance,thoroughlyigniting the kindlingmaterial.

The fuse 3 may be the usual quick-match used in pyrotechnics,and it willbe understood that the latter may be arranged in any desired manner tocommunicate with the material contained in the tubes, the outer or openends of which may be covered or filled to temporarily secure theircontents in place when the device is not in operation.

A fire-kindler constructed in accordance with my invention is simple andis easily constructed and by making the parts of light wood, pasteboard,or other combustible substance it is consumed by the fire and theinterior of the fire-box is not obstructed, so as to interfere with theapplication of additional fuel. By making the casing hollow a draft-flueis formed in the fire-box and the air being allowed a comparatively freepassage upwardly increases the draft, which assists in the combustion ofthe material therein when the fire is first started.

I claim as my invention- 1. A fire-kindler embodying a casing having aplurality of tubes each provided with the open end and containing aninflammable material adapted to be projected therefrom when ignited anda fuse extending around the casing and connecting said tubes. v

2. A fire-kindler embodying a. casing and a plurality of tubes arrangedtherein each having an end opening at the exterior of the casing, saidtubes containing inflammable material which is projected therefrom whenignited, and a fuse connecting with the material at the ends of saidtubes.

3. A fire-kindler consisting of a casing having a plurality of tubestherein each having the end opening exteriorly of the casing andextending in difierent directions, said tubes containing an inflammablematerial, a fuse communicating with the material in the tubes and afriction-igniting cap attached to the fuse.

4. In a fire-kindler, the combination with a hollow casing adapted to beembedded in the kindling material, a plurality of tubes in the casinghaving their ends opening exteriorly of the casing and extending indifferent directions, and inflammable material provided in the tubes andadapted to be projected therefrom when ignited, a fuse communicatingwith the interior of the tubes, and a friction-operated cap for ignitingthe fuse adapted to be located exterior of the kindling material.

5. In a fire-kindler, the combination with a hollow casing ofcombustible material, and a plurality of tubes therein having their endsopening, exteriorly of the casing and extending in different directionsand containing inflammable material, of means for igniting the saidmaterial in the tubes.

GEORGE H. LOTSPIKE.

Witnesses:

G. WILLARD RICH, ELIZABETH J. PERRY.

